URGENT REFERRALS (Mon - Fri, 8.00am-4.30pm)

If your referral is urgent and requires a response within two working day, please call the clinical nurse specialist in the referral team on 07 552 4380.

Please ensure you also complete the Online Referral Form below.

URGENT REFERRALS OUT OF HOURS

If your referral is urgent and requires an urgent response outside our normal working hours, please contact the on-call medical officer on (07) 552 4380.

Please ensure you also complete the Online Referral Form below.

Who Can be Referred to Waipuna Hospice?

Waipuna Hospice provides interdisciplinary specialist palliative care for patients and families, alongside the care provided by their GP and specialist teams. Our referral criteria are a guide for health professionals to understand who might be appropriate for referral to Waipuna Hospice services:

REFERRAL CRITERIA - Individuals should meet all of the below:

  • advanced, progressive disease which cannot be cured or the patient has refused treatment if competent to do so
  • complex problems including symptom control, psychological, social or spiritual issues important to the patient
  • the needs of the patient exceed the capacity of the primary provider alone and are best supported by a specialist hospice service
  • the patient agrees to referral if competent to choose
  • the patient is registered with a local primary healthcare provider and has New Zealand residency or reciprocal rights
  • if the patient is under 18 years old they are appropriately supported by specialist paediatric services
  • if the patient has non-malignant disease, supportive evidence of end-stage disease is provided

It is recognised that there are “grey areas” where individuals have needs but do not fit all the criteria above. These patients may be referred and will be discussed by members of the Waipuna Hospice referral team.

It is also recognised that referral to Waipuna Hospice does not preclude involvement of other healthcare professionals. Waipuna Hospice aims to work in a supportive and collaborative way with healthcare teams.

Waipuna Hospice acknowledges that “gaps” exist in current healthcare service delivery and it may be beyond the scope of hospice resources to meet these healthcare service provision gaps.

This referral criteria is underpinned by the Referral Criteria for Adult Palliative Care Services in Midland Region – CLICK TO VIEW

Who can make a referral to Waipuna Hospice?

We welcome referrals to Waipuna Hospice from all health providers, including GP’s, hospital doctors, medical specialists and Iwi providers. If you feel that you, a family member or a patient you care for would benefit from Waipuna Hospice services, and the patient agrees to the referral, please speak to your GP or feel free to contact our Referral Team on (07) 5524380 to discuss.

E-Referrals via Medtech or Mypractice

Referrals can now be made directly from most GP practices via Medtech and MyPractice programmes. This is a fast and easy way to refer, and allows you to directly attach the most up to date patient notes and results. Quickstart guides on how to do this can be found below:

Medtech      myPractice

Alternately, please feel free to contact our Referral Team on (07) 552 4380. We would be happy to discuss or provide an in-service for your staff on how to make an e-referral.

Online Referral Form


Referral to Waipuna Hospice facility in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty